Theft-alarm device



Jan. 3, 1928. I 1,654,931 M. GREENE THEFT ALARM DEVICE I Filed June 4,1926 2 Sheets$he et l 3 wueu bot Marius fra /Z Patented Jan. 3, 1928;

; NITED {STATES PATENT cr ics:

MARIUS GREENE; or NEW. YORK, N. Y1, ASSiGJSlOR orflonnr fmn To WILLIAMe1 CHITTICK AND ONE-THIRD roJoHn MOTTERSHEAD, Born ornn'w YORK, N. Y.

THEFT-ALARM DEVICE.

Application filed June 4,

This invention relates improvements in theft alarm devices, and hasparticular ref erence to electrical apparatus, including a novel circuitclosinpmeans, adaptable for usetin automobiles and other environments.

In. its broader aspects, the invention contemplates the use of a theftalarm, either audible, visible, or both. included in an electric circuithaving a source of currentsupply, said circuit, being normally open and.having a circuit closer which may be actuated by vibrations set up by.unauthorized use of or tampering with the device to which the inventionis applied. Preferably key-controlledswitch may be included in thecircuit.

insuch a manner that an authorized person having the key may open thecircuit and use the device without effecting operation otthc alarm:unit, and thereafter the apparatus maybe set by closing thekey-controlled switch and removing the key.

An important object of the invention isto provide a circuit closingdevice. for use in such a theft alarm system, whereina contact member inthe circuit is caused to vibrate and thus close the circuit when thedevice is moved or tampered with.

' Another object is to provide such a device which will effectivelyoperate in any position in which itv may be left bythe' authorizedperson.

Another object is to provide such a device with adjusting; means to varythe sensitivity of the device .in accordance with necessity in itsparticular environment.

Another object is to provide a complete theft alarm system which will beparticulai ly adapted for use in motor vehicles and the like, and whichwill embody an improved automatic circuit closer of the above mentionedcharacter. 1

Another object is toprovide such athett alarm system wherein the alarmunit is broughtinto operation by iminstantaneous closing of the circuitand continues in operation after the circuit has been again'broken inthe initial circuit-closingmechanism.

Another object is to provide such a theft alarm system with a manuallyoperated and preferably key-controlled switch having means for resettingthe mechanism after the alarm has been given. I

Other objects and advantages'will heapparent from the followingdescription, ref

. erencc being had to theaccompanying draw- 1926. Serial No. 113,623.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of said circuit closing means;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary View, similar to Figure 2, showing the contactmember in position for closing the circuit;

Figure 6 is a' transverse sectional view on the line '66 of Figure 2.;

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of the manually operated switchand resetting mechanism, parts being broken away; and

Figure 8 is an end elevation of said switchper se. v I

The invention has been shown in Figure 1 as applied to an automobile,and'wl1ile'- it is especially adapted for such use, it is notrestrictedto such environment but may be used in jewelry sates, bank vaults.trunks, and other articles wherein atheft alarm'system is desirable. cReferring now to the drawings in detail, an automobile chassis frame 10is diagram matically illustrated in vFig.1; as equipped with a battery11 or other suitable source of electrical energy. connected electricallywith a manually operated switch 12, an auto- 7 maticdrop'unit 13, anaudible signal 14,41 visiblesig'nal-15. and'an improved auton'iaticcircuit closer 16. i 1

The manually operated switch 12 prel ei ably includes a key-controlledlock having: a, housing 17 as best shown in Figures 7 and y 8,saidhousing being formed of dielectric materiahsuch as bakclite, andsecured "to a supporting bracket 18 by means of which it may be mounted.housing 17 is recessedas at 19 in Fig. 8 and providedwith a pairofopposedgspaced contact members 20 and 21, formed otresilient metal andfitted with terminals 22 and 23 respectively. Rotatable in thehousing17,

10a The lower side of the and between the extremitiesof the contact,

members-20 and 21, is atumbler cylinder 24 COl'ltlTOllQClfbY azkey 25.a-nd provided adja cent its lower end with an insulated conductor 26adapted to bridge the gap between the contacts 20 and 21 when thecylinder is turned to its locked position. \Vhen the cylinder is turnedto its unlocked position, the circuit is broken across the contacts .20and 21.

The automatic-drop unit 13 may be of any ordinary or preferred type andincludes a switch contact 27 adapted to be engaged by a aring-pressedswitch arm 28 which is normally held out of engagement with the contact27 and against the action of its spring, by a lug on armature 29 of anelectro-i'uagnet 30. The unit 13 is further provided with three bindingposts or terminals 31, and -3, and internally wired as follows: fromtcrn'iinal 31 to the switch contact 27; from terminal 32 to the pivotpost of switch arm 28; and from tern'iinal 33 to the electromagnct 30,and from the electro-inagnct back to terminal 32. From this it will beevident that when the electro-magnet 230 is energized, it will attractthe armature Q9 and thus release the switch arm whereupon said switcharm is moved by its spring against the contact 27 as indicated in dottedlines in Fig. l. The alarm circuit will then be closed, and will remainclosed until it is manually broken, and the switch arm 28 returned toits normally open position.

In order to facilitate resetting, the manually operated switch 12 ismounted in close proxin'iity to auton'iatic-drop unit 13, as best shownin Fig. 7, and the lower or inner end of the cylinder 24-. carries adepending offset finger 36 which is adapted to selectively engage theswitch arm 28. The linger 3G preferably extends in diametrical alinementwith the conductor 26 and insulated from it in any suitable manner, thearrangement being such that when the tumbler turned so the circuit isclosed between the contacts 20 and 21, the finger 36 is out ofengagement with the switch arm 28, and when the cylinder is turnedthrough an angle of tlPplOXlllliltGly ninety degrees, said linger 36occupies a position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7. Under the lattercondition, the switch arm 28 is lllCtlptlblC of mm'ement to contact 27.

The signal means 1a and 15 may be of any ordinary type, the unit 14:being preferably an electrically operated. siren, horn or hell capableof giving audible alarm, and the unit 15 being an electric lamp or thelike. Either one or both of the signal units 1 1 and 15, may be used,and when both are used, they are preferably connected in parallel.

In order to frustrate theft, unauthorized use of, or tampering with thedevice, it has been found desirable to employ an automatic circuitcloser of such sensitivity as to be operated by the slightest movementor vibration of the device. To this end, the unit 16 is provided, apreferred embodiment being shown in detail in Figures 2 to (3 inelusive.It includes a fixed conductor 40 preferably in the form of an elongatedn c tallic rod supported by closure plugs ll 1n the opposite ends of acylindrical casing or container 412. The plugs 11 are preferably formedof dielectric material such as rubher, while the casing may be metallicand provided with a clamping member 1 2' by means of which it .may bemounted on any suitable support or portion is; of the automobile, saidclamping member being insulated from the container as indicated at 15.Any suitable means may be provided for securing the conducting rod 4:0in place; for GXElll'lPlQ, a cotter pin to may attend transverselythrough one projecting end of the rod, while the other end may bethreaded for the reception of a nut 47.

Supported by the rod t0 within the casing 42 is a pair of spacedinsulation bushings 4-8 and 19, adjustably secured ly set screws 50, andeach bushing being reduced in diameter at its inner end to provideopposed supporting seats for the outer ends of Coil spring sections 51and 52. [the inner ends of the spring sections abut against and aresecured to a contact memoer in the form of an annulus having a centralaperture 5% of greater diameter than that of the rod 4:0, said annuluscncirclii'ig a portion of said rod. The arrangement is such that thedistance between the inner periphery of the annulus and the surface ofthe rod 10 is equal to the distance between the outer periphery of theannulus and the inner surface of the casing 12. The spring sections arepreferably under tension, and from this it *ill be evident that thecontact member 53 will be yieldably supported and adapted tosimultaneously contact with both the rod and the casing at oppositesides of 1115 center as shown by dotted lines in l ig. (3. Such movementof the contact member 52; is caused by vibration of the spring sections,iuitiated by iiiovement or vibration oi the auto-- mobile or othcrdevice in which it is mounted. Any suitable means may he provided forconnecting the contact iiicmhcr to one pole of an electric circuit. lllthis case a wire 55 being shown as attached to the spring section theother end oi said wire being connected to the terminal 323 on the automatic-drop unit 13.

Referring again to .lfig. 1, the wiring con. nections of the parts areas follows: From the positive pole of the battery 11, a conductor 5b toterminal of the switch 12, while the negative pole of the battery isgroruided as at 57. The terminal 9% of said switch is connectcul by wire58 to the intermediate terminal 32 of the automatic drop unit, and awire 59 extends from the terminal 31 to the teri'uinal (30 of the alarmunit 14, the other terminal (51. of said alarm uni t being grounded asat (32. The threaded end lilo of the rod 40 is grounded at 63, and inthe event that the casing is is formed of con- 21, thus breaking thecircuit and rendering the ,inechanism inoperative.

At the same time, the finger 36 engages the switch arm 28 preventing itsmovement to closed position even though it should be released by thearmature 29.

If it is desired to leave the automobile, such as when parking it in thestreet, the legitimate user may set the theft alarm by turning the keyand then removing it. In this condition, the alarm circuit is completethrough the switch 12, and is only interrupted by restraint of theswitch arm 28. Thereafter, the slightest movement of the automobileincident to attempted theft or tampering therewith will cause the resilient support of the contact member 53 to vibrate and resulting inclosing the circuit through the automatic circuit closer 16. When thecircuit is thus closed, even though for just an instant, current flowsfrom the battery 11 through wire 56, through switch 12, through wire 58,through the electromagnct 30, to post 33, through wire 55, throughautomatic circuit closer 16, to ground at 63. As the. current passesthrough electro-magnet 30, it energizes the same, attracting thearmature 29 and thus releasing the switch arm 28 which is immediatelymoved by its spring to contact 27. The alarm circuit is then complete,current flowing from the battery to the switch 12 as above described,thence through Wire 58 to the pivot of arm 28 to contact 27, terminal31, and then through wire 59 to terminal of alarm member let andreturning to battery through ground at 62. In this manner the alarm isgiven to call public attention to the fact that the automobile is beingstolen, and the alarm "will continue without interruptioi'i until theowner or other legitimate person arrives with the key by means of whichhe may manually break the'circuit and reset the device.

The various units and wiring employed in the system may be mounted inany suitable mann-er, preferably under the seat cushions where they willbe concealed from view, and therefore not subject to unauthorizedtampering without actuating the alarm.

The construction of the circuit closer 16 is such that it maybeinstalled in any position, that is, either horizontal, vertical, orotherwise, and variations in position will not affect the suspendedposition of the contact member 53 relative to the conductors 40 and 4-2.This feature is particularly advantageous, and in fact'necessary, for anauto mobile theft alarm, because automobiles are frequently parked onhills and the like, under which conditions devices havinggravity-controlled members have become inoperative. 3 i i It may befound necessary to provide different tension on the springs Sland 52 fordifferent makes of cars, and to this end, the

tensionmay be varied by adjustment of the bushi'ngstti and 4.9,saidadjustment being preferably made at the time ofinstallation, and ifdesired the container 42 maythere after be permanently sealed.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that a. substantial improvementhas been made in this art, and that a circuit closer of extremesimplicity, sensitivity and reliability has been produced. The inventionis, of course,

susceptible of modification, in the details of construction andarrangement of parts, and the right is herein reserved to make suchchanges as fall within the scope of the appended claims withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a circuit closing device for electric circuits, an elongatedconductor adapted to be connected to one side of a circuit, an an nularcontact member surrounding a portion of said conductor and normallyspaced therefrom, and resilient supporting means for said contactmember, said supporting means being connected to the opposite side ofthe circuit and adapted to vibrate to close I the circuit, and a tubularcontainer enclosing said parts, said container being formed ofconducting material and electrically connected to the same side of thecircuit as the elongated conductor. p

2. In a circuit closing device for electric theft alarm circuits, arigid conductor adapted to be connected to one pole of a circuit, anannular contact member surrounding a'portion of said conductor andnormally spaced therefrom, said contact memher being connected to theopposite pole of the circuit, and a coil spring for resiliently.

supporting said. contact member and capable of transverse vibration inany direction to close the circuit and a second rigid conductorencircling the annular contact member in the same space-relationship asthat between the first rigid conductor-and the annular contact member,said second rigid conductor being of the same polarity as the first.

3. In a circuit closer of the character described, a tubular container,a conducting rod extending longitudinally within the con tainer, anannular contact member surrounding the conducting rod intermediate itsends and normally spaced from the outer surface of said conducting rod,coil spring sections Ill) secured to opposite sides of the annularcontact member, insulation bushings mounted on the conducting rod andadapted to support said spring sections under compression, means forconnecting the conducting rod to one pole of an electric circuit, andmeans for connecting the coil sprineto the other pole of the circuit,whereby vibration oi? the spring' will cause closing of the circuit.

4. In a circuit closer oi the character dcseribed, a tubular container,a conducting rod extending longitudinally Within the container, an.annular contact member surrounding); the conducting rod intermediate itsends and normally spaced from the outer surface of said conducting; rod,coil spring sections secured to opposite sides of the an nular contactmember, insulation bushings mounted on the conducting rod in spacedrelation and adapted to support said spring sections undercon'lpression, means 1.3617111)- ting relative adjustment of saidinsulation hushings to vary the comm-""011 of the sprin sections andmeans for respectively connecting the conducting rod and the annularcontact member to opposite poles of an. electric circuit.

MARIUS GREENE.

